05/01/2026
The story of how the Kiwi lost its' beautiful wings ... (this is the story that has been passed to us)
One day, Tāne Mahuta was walking through the forest. He looked up at his children reaching for the sky and he noticed that they were starting to sicken, as bugs were eating them. He talked to his brother, Tāne-hokahoka, who called all of his children, the birds of the air together.
Tāne Mahuta spoke to them.
"Something is eating my children, the trees. I need one of you to come down from the forest roof and live on the floor, so that my children can be saved, and your home can be saved. Who will come?"
All was quiet, and not a bird spoke.
Tāne-hokahoka turned to Tui.
"E Tui, will you come down from the forest roof?"
Tui looked up at the trees and saw the sun filtering through the leaves. Tui looked down at the forest floor and saw the cold, dark earth and shuddered.
"Kāhore (no), Tāne-hokahoka, for it is too dark and I am afraid of the dark."
Tāne-hokahoka turned to Pūkeko.
"Pūkeko, will you come down from the forest roof?"
Pūkeko looked down at the forest floor and saw the cold, damp earth and shuddered.
"Kāhore (no), Tāne-hokahoka, for it is too damp and I do not want to get my feet wet."
All was quiet, and not a bird spoke.
Tāne-hokahoka turned to Pīpīwharauroa.
"Pīpīwharauroa, will you come down from the forest roof?"
Pīpīwharauroa looked up at the trees and saw the sun filtering through the leaves. Pīpīwharauroa looked around and saw his family.
"Kāhore (no), Tāne-hokahoka, for I am busy at the moment building my nest."
All was quiet, and not a bird spoke. And great was the sadness in the heart of Tāne-hokahoka, for he knew, that if one of his children did not come down from the forest roof, not only would his brother loose his children, but the birds would have no home.
Tāne-hokahoka turned to Kiwi.
"E kiwi, will you come down from the forest roof?"
Kiwi looked up at the trees and saw the sun filtering through the leaves. Kiwi looked around and saw his family. Kiwi looked at the cold damp earth. Looking around once more, he turned to Tāne-hokahoka and said,
"I will."
Great was the joy in the hearts of Tāne-hokahoka and Tāne Mahuta, for this little bird was giving them hope. But Tāne Mahuta felt that he should warn kiwi of what would happen.
"E kiwi, do you realise that if you do this, you will have to grow thick, strong legs so that you can rip apart the logs on the ground and you will lose your beautiful coloured feathers and wings so that you will never be able to return to the forest roof. You will never see the light on day again."
All was quiet, and not a bird spoke.
"E kiwi, will you come down from the forest roof?"
Kiwi took one last look at the sun filtering through the trees and said a silent goodbye. Kiwi took one last look at the other birds, their wings and their coloured feathers and said a silent goodbye. Looking around once more, he turned to Tāne-hokahoka and said,
"I will."
Then Tāne-hokahoka turned to the other birds and said,
"E Tui, because you were too scared to come down from the forest roof, from now on you will wear the two white feathers at your throat as the mark of a coward.
Pūkeko, because you did not want to get your feet wet, you will live forever in the swamp.
Pīpīwharauroa, because you were too busy building your nest, from now on you will never build another nest again, but lay your eggs in other birds nests.
But you kiwi, because of your great sacrifice, you will become the most well known and most loved bird of them all.
We at Natures Therapeutics wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2026 - and for you e kiwi, we will ensure your story is passed down and forever remains safe ###
